Time switch



W. E. PORTER Dec. 27, 1932.

TIME SWITCH Filed Aug. 24

IrivenTor" Willard E1. Por'Ter- Hus Affor'ne Patented Dec. 21', 1932UNITED STATES.

PATENT OFFICE WILLARD E. PORTER, or swmscor'r, mssncrmsn'rrs, nssrenon'ro GENE AL ELECTRIC oomrm, A oonronn'noiv on NEW YORK TIME SWITCH.

' Application fled August 24, 1931. Serial No. 558,950. J

My invention relates to time switches. One aspect of the inventionrelates to improvements in astronomical time switches or switches whichare commonly used to turn 6 onv and off street lights and which.automatically adjust themselves for difiercnt on and ofi periods inaccordance with variations in the length of daylight at vdifi'erentseasons of the year. Another aspect of the 1 present invention isapplicable to time switches generally and relates to. a novel leverarrangement. whereby a switch may be operated with a snap action to. twodifferent positions at predetermined adjustable times, I

which times may be set somewhat closer together than has heretofore beenpracticable with a single operating lever.

The features of my invention which are believed to be novel andpatentable will be' pointed out in the claims appended hereto. For abetter understandin of my invention reference is made in the ollowingdescription to the accompanying drawing.

In the drawing, Figs. 1 and 2 represent front and side views,respectively, of a commercial form of my time switch, together withportions of the casing structure in which the switch is assembled. Fig.3 is a perspective exploded view of the time switch 3 mechanism shown inFigs. 1 and 2, and Fig.

4 is an enlarged view of-a portion of the astronomical dial of such aswitch.

In the astronomical time switch it is necessary to provide a memberwhich rotates at the rate ofonce per year, as well as a member whichrotates once per day. The

former varies the time of setting for difi'erent seasons of the year inaccordance with da light variations, and the latter establis es the oiland on operations from day to day. This wide variation in speed hasusually resulted in constructions which were somewhat complicated andcumbersome with r respect to the reduction gearing, even in switchesemploying an ordinary slow moving spring-operated clock for the timingand driving element. In the form of my invention illustrated, I may, andpreferably do, employ a high speed synchronous motor as the timing anddriving element. For the usual 60 cycle alternating current circuit thismotor operates at 3600 revolutions per minute. Thus, I' obtain a totalspeed reduction from 3600 revolutions per minute to one revolution peryear, or a reduction ratio of 3600XX'24X365- The commercial switchrepresented in Figs. 1 and 2 is contained in a casing of the 80 formshown, measuring 7 in length by 3 in breadth and depth. This extremelylarge gear reduction in an operable time switch of the size and compactconstruction mentioned and illustrated indicates'what is 05 believed tobe a considerable "improvement with respect to sim licity, compactness,and cost of this type 0 device, -and while I do not claim mere speedreducing means as a novel 'feature, of my invention, it is believed thatcertain features of the particular arrangement and assembly of speedreducing means as here employed and combined with the necessaryswitchadjusting and setting parts is novel and patentable.

The entire switch structure is amembled on a rigid supporting plate 10.When the cover 11 of the casing 12 is unlocked and opened the entireswitch structure may be removed by loosening two screws 13, raising theswltch assembly slightly until the screw-heads 13 canpass through theenlarged lower ends of two slots 14: cut in plate 10 through whichscrews 13 extend. The plate 10 and the switch assembly secured theretomay then be removed from the casing. Screws 13 are threaded into lugs 15in the inner side walls of the casing.

The door of the casing is provided w1th a window 16, through which thehour and month dials 17 and 18 and the various indicating hands may beseen.

To the lower back side of the supporting plate 10 is secured a terminalboard 20 for, the various circuit connections. Just above theterminalboard 10 is a self-starting synchronous motor 21.01? the generaltype described in United States Patent No. 1,495,936, May 27, 1924,Warren. Above the motor is one or more mercury tube switches 22. At the100 front of plate 10 opposite the mercury switch is a motionmultiplying lever system 23 for tilting the mercury switch with a mildsnap action at predetermined times, and from the central front portionof the plate is secured the variouspartsof the astronomical switchoperating mechanism comprising the greater portion of the assembly shownin the exploded perspective view of Fig. 3.

The parts last referred to are assembled and supported on a stationarysteel rod 24 rigidly secured to the plate 10 and extending towards thefront therefrom. This rod appears too slim and long to properly supportthe parts carried thereby as illustrated in Fig. 3, but as a matter offact this rod is only about 1 inches in length and is about inch indiameter, so that it is amply rigid for the purpose. To the front end ofthis rod is secured the pointer 19, which remains stationary andindicates time on the 24 hour time dial 17 as the latter rotates in aclockwise direction. The only other part shown on rod,

. drives a large gear 29 having a bearing on rod 24. The speed reductionhere accomplished in the modification shown is in the ratio of 12 to 1such that gear 29 makes five revolutions per hour. Integral with gear 29and at some distance off from its center of rotation is a pinion shaft30, free to rotate and having rigidly connected pinions meshing withstationary gear 25 and a gear 31. As shown in Fig. 2, the gears 30 and31 are close together and mesh with a single pinion equivalent to thepinion shaft 30. Pinion shaft 30 is car-' 'ried around with gear 29, andstationary gear 25 causes the pinion shaft to rotate. Gear 31 has agreater number of teeth than gear 25, so that it is driven in aclockwise direction. The relative number of teeth in gears 25 and 30 issuch that gear 31 makes one revolution per 24 hour day. This is one formof epicyclic gear arrangement reducing the speed between gears 29 and 31in the ratio of 120 to 1. 7

Gear 31 is connected through-a friction clutch 32 to a hollow shaft 33,to which shaft is secured gear 34 and a supporting plate 35 for theastronomical cam levers. The 24 hour dial 17 is fastened to plate 35 sothat hollow shaft 33, gear 34, plate 35, and dial 17 rotate together ina clockwise direction at one revolution in a 24 hour day. Dial 17 isgraduated in A.M. and RM. divisions, in hour divisions, and each hourdivision is graduated into 15 minute division marks, so that it ispossible to tell the approximate time from the stationary pointer 19 anddial 17.

Gear 34 has 364 teeth and drives a gear 36 having 365teeth through apinion shaft 37. As shown in Fig. 2, the pinion shaft 37 integral withthe p nions thereon is rotatively supported in a stationary bearingsupported from plate 10 by the arm 38 and the pinions thereon mesh with.the peripheries of the two large adjacent gears 34 and 36. Thus, asgear 34 makes a revolution per day in a clock- Wise direction, gear 36will make & 365 v of a revolution per day in the same direct on,

or rotates in a counter-clockwise direction with respect to gear 34 atthe rate of one revolution per year of 365 days. Gear 36 drives a secondhollow shaft carrying astronomical dial 18 and astronomical cams 38 and39. The drive is through a friction clutch 40. The astronomical dial andcams make one revolution per year in a counterclockwise direction withrespect to dial 17 and the cam lever supporting plate 35, which rotatein a clockwise direction one revolution per day. The periphery of theastronomical dial is graduated nto 365 day divisions and in the monthsof the year (see Fig. 4), the month graduation including the correct number of day graduations, with 28 day graduations for the month ofFebruary. A pointer 41 secured to the back of plate 35 indicates on dial18 the day and the month for which the switch is set. Frict on clutch 32permits hollow shaft 33'and all parts carried thereby to be adjusted forcorrectly setting for'the time of day as indicated by pointer 19. Suchadjustment automatically takes care of the small relative adjustment ofthe astronomical dial, since the act on of its gear drive is just thesame as before. Friction clutch 40 permits the astronomical dial andcams to be adjusted independently of all other adjustments for the dayof the year as indicated by pointer 41. This adjustment will ordinarilyonly be necessary initially and on leap years to account for the extraday in February of such years.

Pivoted to a hub integral with plate 35 s an on arm 42 and an off arm 43having axially extending pins 44 and '45 in their outer ends foroperating any suitable form of switch mechanism. The rotative positionof arm 42 is automatically adjusted w th respect to the plate 35 and the24 hour dial by a lever 46 pivoted to arm 42 and operated by a pin 47which rides on cam 38 and slides in a slot 48 In plate 35. The shape ofcam 38 is such as to change the' on switch oper-' ating time inaccordance with the changes in the beginnng of darkness during differenttimes of the year. The ofi' lever 43 is operated by lever 49 and pin50,'which pin slides in a slot 51 in plate 35 and rides on cam 39;

spondingly longer than arm 46 so that pin 50 extends over but nevercomes ino contact with cam 38. The particular shape of these cams willvary in switches intended for different lat tudes, and while it willrarely be necessary to change cams in any particular switch, this may beeasily accomplished by removing the pointer 19 and sliding 01f the unitconsisting of dial 17 and plate 35 and the parts carried thereby.Springs 52 are connected between a switch operating arm of one mechan'smand a pin of the other mechanism, which springs retain the pins upon thesurfaces of their respective cams under all operating conditions. Theaxially extending pins 47 and 50 are constrained to move in radialdirections by reason of the slots 48 and 51. Indcators 53 extendforwardly from'the switch operating arms and indicate at all times onthe 24 hour dial 17. the times of day for which the on and off leversare set to operate by the astronomical cams,

The operating pins 44 and 45 which cooperate with the switch operatingmechanism are preferably threaded through open ings in the ends of theon and off levers so that the t mes of switch operation may be manuallyadjusted to positions corresponding to operations say 15 minutes earl eror later than normal to take care of difierent rulings relative to theturning on and off of street lights in different cities.

From the foregoing description it will appear that the astronomicalmechanism is relatively simple, rugged and compact for the purposeswhich it accomplishes. The parts are relatively few and easy toassemble. All

of the necessary adjustments are provided and are easily accessible toauthorized persons. The various desired indications are clearly visiblethrough the window 16.

The form of switch which is used with the mechanism thus far describedmay vary. In the present embodiment, I have shown a mercury tube switch22, and the operating mechanism between this switch and the on and offlevers will now be described. As best shown in Fig. 1, the arm 42 isslightly longtw than arm 43, and the pins 44 and 45 extending throughthese arms at their outer ends are located at different radial distancesfrom the axis of rotation. These pins cooperate with a roller 54 on alever 55, the latter being pivoted at 55. Roller 54 is positionedbetween the paths of movementof pins 44 and 45 such that pin 44 comesinto contact with the upper surface of the roller and moves it downwardv as the pin passes, and pin 45 comes into contact with the lowersurface of the roller and moves it upward as this pin passes. This upand down movement is conveyed to lever 55 and then to lever 56 throughthe pin and slot connection shown. Lever 56 is pivoted at 57 and the upand down motion of roller 54 is considerably multiplied at the free end'of lever 56. The mercury tube switch is supported on a holding block 58which is pivoted on a shaft 59 provided with the crank arm 60. Pinsextend from the free ends of levers 56 and 60 and are connected togetherby a spring 61. The up and down movement of arm 56 carries the pinin'its end past the axis of rotation of the shaft 59 througha deadcenter with respect to lever 60 and thus provides a toggle action whichgives a mild snap action and quick positive tilting of the switch 22 inboth directions. Stop pins 62 limit the movement of the switch in itsclosed and open or off and on positions.

The resiliency of spring 61 holds the entire lever arrangement toWhichever position it is moved until the next operation, when the pin isagain stretched and moved to the opposite side of a dead center,resulting in the reverse 0 eration of the mechanism. Thus, very smal upand down movementofthe single roller 54 by the operating pins in theends of the on and off levers as they pass roller 54 results in theproper tilting action of the mercury switch.

In an ordinary time switch, it might be desirable to place the operatingpins 44 and 45 close together so as to obtain a short time intervalbetween the opening and closing of the switch, or vice-versa. The singleroller with its small movement and the multiplying arrangement describedpermits a somewhat shorter time interval setting between two consecutiveoperations than has heretofore been practicable with a single operatingarrangement.

To install and set the astronomical switch described, the necessarycircuit connections are made to-the switch and electric motor;

dial 18.is turned until pointer 41 indicates the day of the year onwhich the installation is made; then dial 17 is set until pointer 19indicates the time of day at which the setting is made. The connectionsof switch 22 are made such as to close the lighting circuit when the onlever tilts the switch to the closed position, and to open the circuitwhen the off lever operates the tilting mechan sm in the oppositedirection. The setting indicated in Fig. 1 shows that the date isSeptember 9th, the hour 11 27 a. m., and that the on and off settingsare for 6: 30 p. m. and 5 a. m., respectively.

Having thus described the essential features of the invention and apreferred embodiment thereof, it is my intention to seek claimscommensurate with the true spirit and scope of the invention, which arenot limited to the particular details of construction shown anddescribed.

What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the UnitedStates, is:

1. In an astronomical time switch, a 24.- hour dial and a 365-day dialspaced apart and rotatively mounted on a common axis of rotation, a pairof astronomical cams rotated with the day dial and on and off switchoperating arms rotated with the hour dial located between said dials,said arms extending radially from and being adjustable about said commonaxis of rotation with respect to the hour dial, a pair of axiallyextending pins resting 011 the cams and connected to the switch armsthrough links at points intermediate the ends of the arms, means forresiliently holding the pins on the cam surfaces and means rotated withthe hour dial for otherwise constraining the movement of the pins toradial directions, said pins and links being rotated as a unit with saidhour dial and switch arms while permitting relative adjustment of thepositions of the switch arms as the pins are moyed over the camsurfaces, and means for rotating the hour dial unit one revolution in 24hours and the day dial one revolution in 365 days with respect to thehour dial.

2. In an astronomical time switch, a pair of astronomical cams ofdifferent size arranged side by side and rotatively mounted together, aplate rotatively mounted adjacent the cams on the same axis of rotation,means for rotating the plate one revolution in 24 hours and the cams onerevolution per year with respect to the plate, on and off switchoperating arms rotatively adjustable on the plate about its axis ofrotation, said arms extending radially in approximately oppositedirections from such axis, a pair of radial slots in said plate, a pairof axially extending pins resting upon the surface of said cams andextending through said slots, a pair of links pivoted between the pinsand intermediate points on said arms, said parts constituting twoindependent sets of mechanisms for individually adjusting the armsastronomically as the pins ride over their respective cams, and springsconnected between the pins and the arms of opposite sets for retainingthe pins upon the surfaces of the cams.

3. An astronomical time switch mechanism comprising a timing motorhaving a terminal shaft operating at one revolution per minute, a pinionon said terminal shaft meshing with a larger gear for reducing thespeed, a hollow shaft, an epicyclic gear between said hollow shaft andlarge gear for normally rotating the hollow shaft one revolution in 24hours, a friction coupling permitting rotary adjustment of the hollowshaft with respect to the timing motor, a second hollow shaft on thefirst hollow shaft, gearing between said shafts for operating the secondhollow shaft one revolution per year with respect to the first hollowshaft, a friction coupling permitting rotary adjustment of the secondhollow shaft with respect to the first, an astronomical dial and cams onthe second hollow shaft, radial on and off switch operating leverspivoted on the first hollow shaft, means operated by said cams foradjusting the positions of said switch operating levers in accordancewith changes in daylight at the ending and beginning of a day, and astationary pin for supporting said larger gear, epicyclic gear, hollowshafts, friction couplings, astronomical dial and cams, and switchlevers in concentric operating relationship.

4. An astronomical time switch comprising a central supporting plate, ahigh speed electric timing motor and a mercury tube switch supported onthe back of said plate, a stationary pin rigidly secured in said plateand extending to the front thereof between said motor and switch, astationary pointer on the forward end of said pin, a 24-hour time dialrotatively mounted on said pin directly back of said pointer andcooperating therewith to indicate the time of day, gearing between saiddial and motor for rotating the dial one revolution in 24 hours, a365-day dial of larger diameter than the 24-hour dial rotatively mountedon said pin back of said 24- hour dial, gearing for rotating the 365-daydial one revolution per year with respect to the hour dial, on and offswitch arms rotated with the 24-hour dial, and astronomical cams rotatedwith the day dial positioned between said dials, means between the camsand switch arms for adjusting the switch arms with respect to the hourdial in accordance with change in the ending and beginning of daylight,means for indicating such positions on the day dial, means forindicating on the year dial the day of the year for which said dial isset, means for adjusting the day and year dials with respect to eachother and with respect to the timing motor, and means operated by saidon and off levers for tilting said mercury tube switch in oppositedirections.

5. In a time switch, an on arm and-an off arm rotatively mounted about acommon axis, said arms having their relative rotative positionsadjustable, a timing motor and gear train for rotating said arms, saidarms having axially extending pins at different radial distances fromthe axis of rotation, a lever pivoted at one end and having a roller atan intermediate point extending into the ath of movement of said pinssuch that sald pins pass on opposite sides of said roller but makecontact therewith to reciprocate the lever, a second lever pivoted atone end and having a pin and slot connection with the outer end of thefirst mentioned lever whereby the reciprocating motion of the latter ismultiplied in the second lever, a mercury tube switch mounted so as tobe tilted to open and closed position, and a toggle mechanism betweensaid second mentioned lever and mercury tube switch for operating thelatter. In witness whereof, I have hereunto set my hand.

WILLARD E. ORTER.

